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CAA: Airport News, "Augusta, Georgia sets sights on airport facilities"
Saturday, June 10, 2000
City sets sights on airport facilities
By Justin Martin
Staff Writer
The Augusta (GA) Chronicle
If Tim Weegar, the interim director of Augusta Regional Airport at Bush
Field, is looking for a little job security, he might have just gotten it.
It was Mr. Weegar who came up with an idea that many Augusta Aviation
Commission members are calling ``brilliant.''
The idea: create a Federal Aviation Administration certified aircraft and
power-plant maintenance school and repair facility at the airport.
The school would be a joint operation of Garrett Aviation, Augusta Technical
Institute and Atlantic Southeast Airlines, and it would be located at Bush
Field.
The school and repair facility would have no effect on passenger airline
service to Augusta.
The idea to build the facility at Bush Field comes as ASA begins to look for
four locations around the country to construct regional jet-repair
facilities.
As aviation commissioner Marcie Wilhelmi said, there is a nationwide
shortage of qualified, certified aircraft maintenance workers.
``It makes perfect sense to bring it home to Augusta, Georgia,'' Ms.
Wilhelmi said. ``The point being, if we have a maintenance facility here and
you're already sending your jets here, it's a very logical leap to go
straight from that to bringing passenger service here. The airport's
incentive is multiple: It is a way to expand nonairline revenue, a way to
create a ready labor facility and, more than those other two, it is a way to
attract and retain visiting carriers and grow the economic base of the
area.''
State Sen. Charles Walker already has pledged his support and vowed to see
what types of state grants might be available to help push the project along
as quickly as possible.
Aviation commissioner Cedric Johnson, a member of Augusta Tech's board of
trustees, said the school is expected to pass a formal motion in support of
the project at its next meeting.
``I think this is a great idea,'' said Aviation Commission Chairman Ed
Skinner.
Mr. Johnson, Mr. Weegar and Ms. Wilhelmi held an initial concept meeting
last week with Jim West and Kevin Shea of the Augusta Metro Chamber of
Commerce, Terry Elam, president of Augusta Tech, and Don VonGruenigen, vice
president and general manager at Garrett Aviation.
Garrett Aviation, Augusta Regional Airport's largest tenant, has experienced
tremendous growth in the past decade,in large part because of the increased
need for corporate and regional jets.
To continue its growth, the company needs as many qualified mechanics as it
can get, airport officials said.
A new school would provide Garrett with a ready supply of mechanics, airport
officials say.
The new school would require a 20,000-square-foot facility: Half of the
building would be hangar space; the other half would be classrooms.
Early estimates indicate the school would cost about $1 million to build.
In the meantime, Mr. Elam reportedly has offered Augusta Tech's Quick Start
building near Butler High School as an interim classroom site. With the
proper FAA approvals, classes could start as early as July 2001.
Atlantic Southeast Airlines' maintenance and repair facility would require
construction of a 40,000- to 50,000-square-foot facility. The company is
looking for communities to supply the infrastructure (hangar, parking,
water, sewer) and a ready-trained certified labor force.
Perhaps nothing makes the need for such a school more clear than a recent
advertisement that stated Columbia's airport is looking to hire 100 airplane
mechanics.
``We've got to apply for and lobby aggressively to get the ASA maintenance
facility built here in Augusta,'' Ms. Wilhelmi said.
Post your opinion on this story in the CAA Discussion Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID8
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